Cicero and his friends

by Gaston Boissier

CONTENTS

			PAGE
INTRODUCTION:
	CICERO’S LETTERS		[1]
		Importance of private correspondence in ancient times. Characteristics of Cicero’s letters, [1]
CICERO IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIFE:
I.	PUBLIC LIFE		[22]
		Severe judgments on Cicero in modern times, [22]
	i.	Circumstances which determined Cicero’s political attitude. Birth, philosophical ideas, character, [24]
	ii.	Cicero’s political career. An opponent at first of the aristocracy, [36]. Attempts to form a middle party, [46]. The knights, [47]. Finally joins the aristocratic party, [51]
	iii.	Judgment on Cicero should be from the point of view of his contemporaries, [51]. Corrupt state of the Roman people, [64]
	iv.	Cicero’s work for the Republican party after the death of Caesar, [69]. His death, [77]
II.	PRIVATE LIFE		[79]
	i.	Sources of his wealth, [79]
	ii.	His married life, [89]
	iii.	His children, [100]
	iv.	His relations to his slaves, [108]. His clients, [113]. Rabirius, [116]
ATTICUS			[123]
	i.	His reasons for not entering public life, [124]. His life at Athens, [127]. His life in Rome, [132]
	ii.	His character in private life, [134]
	iii.	His character in public life, [147]
CAELIUS:
	THE ROMAN YOUTH IN THE TIME OF CAESAR		[159]
	i.	Family and education of Caelius, [160]. Influence of women at Rome, [163]. Clodia, [166]
	ii.	Character of Caelius, [176]. Joins Caesar’s party, [184]
	iii.	Caesar had no genuine friends, [191]. Reasons of Caelius’ enmity to him, [197]. His death, [206]
CAESAR AND CICERO:
I.	CICERO AND THE CAMP OF CAESAR IN GAUL		[209]
	i.	Cicero’s return to Rome, [210]. State of the city, 211. Leaves the aristocratic party and joins the triumvirs, [216]
	ii.	Renews his intimacy with Caesar, [224]. Pompey and Caesar compared, [226]. Caesar in Gaul, [230]
	iii.	Cicero’s letters to his brother and to Trebatius supplement the Commentaries, [241]. Effect produced in Rome by Caesar’s victories, [251]
II.	THE VICTOR AND THE VANQUISHED		[257]
	Cicero’s intention to retire from political life, [257]
	i.	Resumes intercourse with Caesar, [260]. The exiles recalled through his influence, [268]. The Pro Marcello, [271]
	ii.	Discussion between Cicero and Caesar as to Cato. Cato not so hard as he is usually considered, his rectitude made him unpractical, [277]. Unfitted to lead a party, [284]. Becomes more moderate, [285]. His death, [287]. Contrasted with Caesar, [288]
	iii.	Caesar wishes to conciliate the Republican party, 291. Appoints members of it to public offices, [293]. In spite of this there was a profound discontent with the new government, [297]
BRUTUS:
	HIS RELATIONS WITH CICERO		[303]
	i.	His family, education, and character, [304]. His friendship with Cicero, [308]. Roman ideas of governing the provinces, [311]. Joins Pompey, [317]
	ii.	Brutus’s prospects of high office destroyed by the battle of Pharsalia. Turns to philosophy. Cicero does the same and produces his philosophical works, [318]
	iii.	Formation of a new Republican party, [329]. Influences brought to bear on Brutus in order to implicate him in the conspiracy against Caesar, [330]
	iv.	Causes of the failure of Brutus and his party, [339]
OCTAVIUS:
	THE POLITICAL TESTAMENT OF AUGUSTUS		[359]
		The Ancyran Inscription, [361]
	i.	The narrative intentionally incomplete, [364]. Light thrown by it on the internal government of Augustus, 368. Relations of Augustus with his soldiers, [369]. With the people, [372]. With the senate, [373]. His policy in reconstructing public buildings, [377]
	ii.	The preamble of the Edict of proscription and the Ancyran Inscription, together, contain the political life of Augustus, [381]. Permanent effect of his policy on the government of the empire, [386]
	iii.	Publication of Cicero’s letters, [388]

CICERO AND HIS FRIENDS